Poland prepares pre-war state law, Defense Ministry says
Photo: Poland is preparing a law on a pre-war state (Getty Images)
Poland is planning to introduce a new legal status — a state of full national readiness for war. The measure would allow the country to respond rapidly to emerging threats even before a formal state of war is declared, said Maciej Samsonowicz, an adviser to Poland's Minister of National Defense, according to Defence24.
Why Poland needs a new readiness status
According to Samsonowicz, the new legal framework is intended to eliminate the gap between peacetime regulations and the official start of war. It would enable the government to begin deploying troops, preparing strategic infrastructure, and receiving NATO-allied forces much earlier.
"We are working on it as well. I don't want to go into details. It's called the state of full combat readiness in the draft," Samsonowicz said.
He added that Poland's current legal framework may not be sufficient when war approaches the country's borders, but no formal legal decision to declare a state of emergency has yet been made.
Military transport and investments bypassing bureaucracy
At the same time, Poland's Ministry of National Defense is preparing a separate bill on strategic investments and simplifying military mobility. If the security situation deteriorates, the military will receive additional powers to coordinate military convoys even before hostilities begin.
The proposed changes would also significantly speed up the construction of defense infrastructure, including roads, ports, airfields, and fuel depots. To achieve this, the government plans to streamline administrative and environmental procedures.
"We cannot wait a year and a half, or the usual two or three years, to build something," the minister's adviser said, commenting on the current system, which can delay security-related projects for years.
Poland also plans to use European funding under the Military Schengen initiative to modernize its logistics network and infrastructure, allowing for the rapid deployment and reception of allied forces.
The draft legislation is currently undergoing internal government review, and the timeline for its submission to the Sejm has not yet been determined.
Kremlin threats to Poland
Recently, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said that Russia currently lacks the resources to launch a direct attack on Poland.
At the same time, he expressed confidence that Russia will ultimately be defeated in the war against Ukraine.
Against the backdrop of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Warsaw has decided to act preemptively and put its own armed forces in order.
Among the proposed changes, Poland is considering prison sentences of up to 30 years for refusing military orders.
Meanwhile, the country is also reinforcing its borders with Russia and Belarus, although the pace of construction has drawn public criticism.
So far, Poland's Eastern Shield fortification program has covered only 61 kilometers (38 miles) of the border with Russia and Belarus over the past six months.
